Warning systems



Feb. 24, 1959 Filed Aug. 12, 1957 J. Dl CARLO WARNING SYSTEMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Figl Joseph 0/ Carla INVENTOR.

BY M %q Feb. '24, 1959 J. D] CARLO I 2,875,299

WARNING SYSTEMS Filed Aug. 12, 1957 ZSheets-Sheet 2 Fig- 2 P &

Joseph Di Carlo INVENTOR.

United States Patent'O WARNING SYSTEMS Joseph Di Carlo, Edwardsville, Ill. Application August 12, 1957, Serial No. 677,446

4 Claims. (Cl. 200-142) This invention relates to the class of fire and burglary alarms and more particularly to warningsystems employing novel actuation devices. 7

The primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of an actuation device that is so arranged as to be readily connectible to an alarm device for providing a signal indicating the presence of a fire or indicating that there is a burglary in process.

The construction of this invention features an actuation device including means supporting a contact weight above a contact arm which includes a paper strip terminally secured to pointed ends of a support and a connection b ade. A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a warning system employing actuation devices which may be readily connected to a bridge or shunt bar and thence to an alarm device in a convenient manner so that any number of the actuation devices can be utilized.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in the provision of warning systems that are simple in construction and installation, efiicient in use and relatively inexpensive to manufacture thereby permitting wide use and distribution.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this warning system, preferred arrangements of parts being shown in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a warning system constructed in accordance with the concepts of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional detail view as taken along the plane of lines 22 in Figure 1 illustrating the construction of the fire alarm actuation device comprising an important element of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a sectional detail view similar to that of Figure 2 but illustrating the fire alarm actuation device after the paper strip has burned away or the fire alarm actuation device when used in conjunction with the burglary alarm system;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional detail view as taken along the plane of line 44 in Figure 1 illustrating the construction of the shunt bar utilized in the present invention;

.Figure 5 is a sectional detail view as taken along the plane of line 5-5 in Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional detail view as taken along the plane of line 6-6 in Figure 1 illustrating in particular the construction of a portion of the actuation device for the burglar alarm system.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 10 generally designates a conventional alarm hell or the like used as the warning signal in the present invention. The alarm bell 10 is adapted to be connected to a suitable source of electrical power such as supplied by the transformer 12 which is connected to a source of electrical power as at 14 by means of suitable actuation devices. It is the concept of the present invention to utilize actuation devices generally indicated by reference numeral 16 when adapting the device for functioning as a fire alarm system while the actuation device for utilization of the invention as a burglar alarm includes members generally designated by reference numerals 18 and 20.

In order to connect a plurality of actuation members to the alarm 10 there is provided shunt bars or bridges as are indicated at 22 and 24.

Referring now more particularly to the fire alarm actuation device 16, it will be noted that this device includes an angle shaped bracket 24 adapted to be secured by screws 26 or the like to a suitable supporting surface 28 such as a wall or other portion of a building. Bolted as at 30 to the bracket 24 is an angle shaped support 32 which is insulated from the bracket 24 by means of insulating Washers as at 34 and 36.

The angle shaped support 32 includes a contact arm 38 and an upwardly extending portion 40 terminating in an inwardly and upwardly extending pointed tip 42.

Bolted to the upwardly extending portion 40 of the support 32 is a resilient connection blade 44. This connection blade is insulated from the support by means of insulative washers as at 46 and 48. The bolt 50 utilized in forming this connection is also adapted to function as a terminal since it is insulated from the support 32 and conductor 52 is attached thereto and held in place by means of nuts 54 in electrical connection with the connection blade 44. It is noted that the support 32 as well as the connection blade 44 are formed of any suitable electrically conductive material while the blade 44 is also resilient in construction and is provided, as best seen in Figure 1, with a central portion 56 of reduced dimensions and has a pointed end 58. A contact weight 60 is held in place by means of a bolt 62 on the connection blade 44 with the bolt 62 being countersunk in the weight 60 and a nut 64 holding the weight 60 in position. The weight 60 is electrically conductive and when the weight 60 causes the blade 44 to be depressed and engages the contact arm 38, an operative electrical circuit is completed from the conductor 52 through the blade 44 and the contact weight 60 to the contact arm 38 and thence to the conductor 65. In order to maintain the contact weight 60 out of engagement with the contact arm 38, a paper strip 66 is disposed between the pointed tip 42 and the pointed end 58 with the pointed tip 42 and the pointed end 58 piercing the paper strip as can be best seen in Figure 1. When subject to the presence of fire or other heat, the paper strip 66 will burn thus allowing contact to be made between the contact weight 60 and the contact arm 38.

The conductor 52 is connected to a terminal 70 on the contact bar it being noted that the terminal 72 on the shunt bar 22 is connected by means of a conductor 74 to one terminal 76 of the alarm device 10, the other terminal 78 thereof being connected by means of a conductor 80 to the transformer 12. The transformer 12 is further connected by means of a conductor 82 to the terminal 84 on the shunt bar 24, it being noted that the other terminal 86 on the shunt bar 24 is connected by means of conductor 64 to the actuation device 16. Hence, when the contact weight 60 engages the contact arm 38, an operative electrical circuit from the source of electrical power 14 through the transformer 12 through conductor 82 to the shunt bar 24, through conductor 64, the terminal formed by the bolt 30, contact arm 38, the contact weight 60, and thence through the connection blade 44, terminal 50 and conductor 52 to the shunt bar 22 and thence to the hell or other alarm device 10 through the conductor '74 is completed.

The foregoing is a description of that part of the invention employed as a fire warning system. The actuation device for the burglar alarm system employs the member 18 which is similar to the member 16 except that the paper strip is removed.

The member 20 includes a base 100 having a fixed contact'plate 1l2 secured thereto by any suitable means such as by the screw 104 forming the terminal for conductor 106. A terminal 109 to which conductor 110 is secured is fixed to the base 100. The plate 108 has a spring-like leaf portion 112 which resiliently engages an upper plate 114 hingedly secured as at 116 to the base 100 and which is formed of an insulative material such as a synthetic plastic or the like. The leaf 112 is thus maintained out of engagement normally with the contact 102. However, should there be a holdup in 'a bank, business establishment or the like, any person near the actuation member 20 can readily depress the upper plate 114 thus closing the electrical circuit between the conductors 110 and 106 by causing the leaf 112 to engage the contact plate 102. The conductor 106 is secured to the terminal 120 on the shunt bar 24 while the conductor 110 is secured to the terminal 30 of the actuation member 18 which corresponds to the similar member on the actuation member 16. The terminal 50 of the actuation member 13 is connected through means of a conductor 126 to the terminal 128 on the shunt bar 22. Hence, when the circuit between the source of electrical power and the alarm 10 is completed due to the actuation of the member 20, an operative electrical circuit is completed which may be traced through the conductor 106, the contact plate 102, the leaf 112, the conductor 110, the terminal 30, through the contact arm 32 and contact weight 60, of the member 18, through the terminal .50 and conductor 125, thence through the terminal 128, and shunt bar 22. From the shunt bar 22 and terminal'72, conductor '74 is connected to the bell 10 andthe circuit is completed through conductor 80, the transformer 12, and the conductor 82 to the bridging bar 24.

It is to be noted that the shunt bars 22 and 24 may be formed of any suitable size with any number of terminals thereon corresponding to the number of actuation devices employed. They may be readily secured to a wall as at 130 or other suitable mounting means by means of screws 132 or the like.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and de scribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An actuation device for an alarm system comprising a mounting bracket, an angle shaped support secured on said bracket and insulated therefrom and having an upwardly extending portion, said support further including an outwardly extending contact arm, a connection blade secured to said upwardly extending portion and insulated therefrom, a contact weight depending from said connection blade for engagement with said contact arm, and means secured to said connection blade and said upwardly extending portion for selectively preventingsaid contact weight from engaging said contact arm, said means comprising a paper strip terminally secured to most end having a pointed tip, :said connection blade having a pointed end, and a paper strip secured on said pointed tip and said pointed end for holding said contact weight out of engagement with said contact arm.

3. An actuation device foran alarm system comprising a mounting bracket, an angle shaped support secured on said bracket and'i'nsulated therefrom and having an upwardly extending portion, said support further including an outwardly extending contact arm, 'a connection blade secured to said upwardly extending portion and insulated therefrom, a contact weight depending from said connection blade for engagement with said contact arm, said upwardly extending portion having its uppermost end having a pointed tip, said connection blade having a pointed end, and a paper strip secured on said pointed tip and said pointed end for holding said contact weight cludin a source of electrical ener an .a'larm device serially connected with said source, a burglar alarm actuation device serially connected with said source and said alarm including an insulated base having a contact plate 'afiixed thereto, a plate hingedly connected to said base, a spring carried between said plate and base biasing said plate and base to an open positionrelative to each other, said spring located so as to electrically contact said contact plate upon movement of said plate and base to a closed position, a fire alarm actuation device electrically connected in parallel with said burglar alarm actuation device including a mounting bracket, an angle shaped support secured on said bracket and insulated therefrom and having an upwardly extending portion, said support further including an outwardly extending contact arm, a connection blade secured to said upwardly extending portion and insulated therefrom, a contact weight depending from said connection blade for engagement with said contact arm, and means secured to said connection blade and said upwardly extending portion for selectively preventing said contact weight from engaging said contact arm, said means comprising a paper strip terminally secured to said connection blade and said upwardly extending portion.

References Cited in the fileof this patent Freygang Dec. 29, .1942 

